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Cheera (Spinach Thoran)

2012-01-25T08:47:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Spinach 1 bunch
Coconut 1 cup
Green chilly 3
Shallots 8
Mustard
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Clean the spinach and chop it well. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Then add grated coconut, sliced chilly, shallots, curry leaves and salt. Saute it for few mins and put the chopped spinach into it. Mix it and cook well.

Kovakka Varuthathu

2012-01-16T06:58:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Tindora (kovakka) 1/4 kg
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
Salt as rqd
Oil

Clean and cut the kovakka into length-wise pieces. Marinate it with salt, pepper pdr and turmeric pdr for 15 mins. Then deep fry it in oil. Serve it hot with rice.

Super Peanut Butter Drops

2012-01-01T05:55:00.003+05:30

Welcome all to a grand 2012....!! Let's start this wonderful year with a sweet cookie...!!

Ingredients:

Semisweet chocolate pieces 1 cup
All purpose flour 1/2 cup
Granulated sugar 1/2 cup
Brown sugar 1/2 cup
Peanut butter 1 cup
Baking soda 1 Tsp
Egg 2

Pre-heat the oven to 325° F. In a bowl beat peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and baking soda. Slowly add egg one by one and mix well. Put flour and mix well. Finally mix chocolate pieces into it. Shape dough into 1¼ inch balls. Place it on a ungreased cookie sheet and slightly flatten it with fingers. Bake it for 10 mins or till the side turns brown in colour.

[Recipe courtesy: Better Homes and Garden 500 Cookie Book]

Top Ten Recipes of 2011

2011-12-27T09:51:00.000+05:30

It's time to bid good-bye to 2011 and welcome a grand new year, 2012....!! Wishing all my friends and readers a fun filled New Year....!!

Just a quick recap of the Top Ten Recipes of 2011, you voted for:

1. Snow White Cake

2. Chocolate Brownie

3. Tender Coconut Smoothie

4. Pineapple Pudding

5. Marble Cake

6. Thenga Chuttaracha Chammanthi (Roasted Coconut Chutney)

7. Ottada

8. Pavakka Achar

9. Shortbread with a Citrus twist

10. Chembin Thalu (Taro stem) Thoran

Old Fashioned Fruit Cake

2011-12-20T13:22:00.001+05:30

Wishing all my friends a lovely Christmas...!!

Ingredients:
[The below ingredients are sufficient to create two 8" cakes.]

To soak:

Jam 2 Tbsp
Dry fruits 650 g
Orange juice ½ cup
Granulated sugar 6 Tbsp
Vanilla extract 1 Tbsp
Rum / Brandy 5 Tbsp
Lemon juice 1 Tbsp
Powder of 1" stick cinnamon
Grated nutmeg 1
Powder of 12 cloves

Mix everything together in a clean jar or container. If you plan to keep this mixture for more than a day, keep it refrigerated.

For the caramel:

Granulated sugar 1½ cup
Hot water ¾ cup

Put granulated sugar into a heavy bottomed pan and heat it in medium to high flame untill it reaches black in colour. At this point, switch off the flame and slowly pour the hot water little by little into the caramalised sugar. Keep it aside.

For the cake:

Pwd sugar 300 g
Unsalted butter 250 g
Eggs 5 separated
Granulated sugar 6 Tbsp
All purpose flour 200g
Baking pdr 1½ Tsp
Cashew nuts 100 g
Milk ¾ cup
Rava 50 g

Grease and line the bottom of the two 8" inch cake pans with butter paper and keep it aside.

Beat the egg whites and 6 tbsp granulated sugar till it turns glossy and stiff. Cream the butter and powdered sugar till it becomes fluffy. Then add the egg yolks one by one and beat well after each addition. Put the soaked dry fruits and mix it. Then add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and rava) into it and mix well. Pour the milk and caramel syrup into this. Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites. Transfer this onto the greased cake pans.

Pre-heat the oven into 180° C. Bake it for 1 hr 45 mins. Baking time varies from oven to oven.

[Recipe courtesy: Ria's Collection]

Marble Cake

2011-12-14T12:09:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 1¼ cup
Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
Milk ½ cup + 2 Tsp
Cocoa pdr 2 Tbsp
Baking pdr 2 Tsp
Butter 1/3 cup
Salt ½ Tsp
Sugar 1 cup
Egg 2

Pre heat the oven at 180° C for 10 min. Sieve together flour, salt and baking powder twice and keep it aside. Beat sugar and butter till it becomes creamy. Add egg one by one and beat well. Slowly add the flour into the egg and mix it. Pour milk and vanilla essence into this. Mix cocoa pdr in a little milk and add into the ¼ portion of batter. Pour half of the vanilla mix into the greased pan. Over it pour spoonfuls of chocolate mix. Again, pour the vanilla mix over it. Then swirl it using a knife or fork. Bake it for 35 to 40 mins.

Red Goan Chicken

2011-12-11T16:09:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Veg oil 4 Tbsp
Sliced onion 1 big
Goan red spice paste 4 Tbsp
Chicken 1½ lb
Tomato 4 big
Salt

Recipe for Goan red spice paste:

Cloves 3
Peppercorns 6
Cumin seeds 1 Tsp
Coriander seeds 1½ Tsp
Fresh red chilly (de-seeded) 2
White wine vinegar 1/3 cup
Cinnamon 1½ inch piece
Ground turmeric ¾ Tsp
Tamarind paste 1 Tsp
Ginger ½ in slice
Garlic pods 9
Sugar ¾ Tsp
Salt ¾ Tsp

Grind all the ingredients into a fine paste and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and saute the onion until it turns brown. Add the grounded spice paste into it and roast it well till it is void of the raw smell. Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Cover it and cook well. When the tomato becomes soft, remove the lid and cook it for another 5 to 6 mins or until it becomes dark in color. Then put the chicken pieces and saute it for a few mins. Pour 1 cup of water into it and boil it. Cover it and cook it in low flame for 20 to 25 mins. Uncover and saute the chicken in high flame until it turns thick and dark in color.

[Recipe courtesy: Anjum's New Indian, Anjum Anand]

Jam Cookies

2011-12-07T22:52:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Egg 1
Butter 100 gm
Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
Powdered sugar ½ cup
Granulated sugar 2 to 3 Tbsp
Maida 1½ cup
Jam as required

Beat the powdered sugar and butter together. Add the egg into it and mix well. Pour the vanilla essence into the mixture. Slowly add maida into it and knead it into a soft dough. Refrigerate it in the lower rack for 15 mins. Make lemon size balls of it and coat it in granulated sugar. Place them in a baking tray and bake it for 6 mins at 180° C. Take the cookies out and press the top of the cookie with your thumb. Again bake it for 8 to 10 mins. Allow it to cool and fill the top of the cookie with jam.

[Recipe courtesy: Magic Oven, Lakshmi Nair]

One Bowl Vanilla Cake

2011-12-04T11:31:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Softened butter 100 gm
Sugar 1¼ cup
Egg 1
All purpose flour 1¾ cup
Vanilla custard pdr ½ cup
Salt 1 Tsp
Baking pdr 3½ Tsp
Milk 1¼ cup
Vanilla essence 1 Tsp

Beat sugar and butter till it becomes creamy and fluffy. Then add the egg and combine well. Add rest of the ingredients one by one and whisk it into a smooth batter. Pour it into the cake pan and bake it for 45 mins at 180° C (it took 55 mins for me). Remove it from the pan and cool it.

[Recipe Courtesy: My Diverse Kitchen]

Simple Chicken Biriyani

2011-11-29T21:09:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Rice 2 cups
Ghee 4 Tbsp
Chicken 700 gm
Boiling water 3½ cup
Lemon juice 1 Tsp
Crushed garlic 2 Tbsp
Crushed ginger 2 Tbsp
Crushed green chilly 10
Sliced onion 4
Turmeric pdr ½ Tsp
Kashmiri chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Tomato sauce 1 Tbsp
Curd 1½ Tbsp
Coriander leaves 1 handful
Mint leaves 1 handful
Garam masala 1 Tsp
Fried onion 1 small
Cashew nuts 15
Kismis 15
Salt

Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins and drain it. Heat ghee in a biriyani pot and add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly. Brown it for a few mins and add the sliced onion. Saute it till it becomes transluscent. Reduce the heat and add turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, salt, tomato sauce, garam masala and curd into onion and saute it well. Then add ¾th of the chopped coriander leaves and mint into the above mixture along with sliced chicken and cook. Simultaneously, boil 3½ cup of water in another pan. When the chicken is half cooked, put the drained rice into this and mix it slowly. Pour the boiling water and lemon juice into rice. Cover and cook it in low flame. Remove it from fire and garnish it with kismis, cashews and fried onion.

[Recipe courtesy: Magic Oven, Lakshmi Nair]

Kozhi Varuthathu

2011-11-24T11:06:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

For Marinating :

Chicken 1/4 kg
Kashmiri chilly pdr 1 Tbsp
Garam masala 1/4 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Rice flour 2 Tsp
Vinegar 1 Tbsp
Water
Salt

Combine all the powders into a thick paste using vinegar and little water. Marinate the chicken with this and keep it aside for 1 to 2 hrs. Heat oil in a kadai and fry it well. (Heat oil well and reduce the flame after putting the chicken. Cover it and fry well).

For frying:

Sliced onion 1 big
Crushed garlic 10 pods
Sliced green chilly 2 to 3
Curry leaves one handful

Combine all the ingredients and fry it in the same oil we used for frying the chicken. Transfer it onto a tissue. Then mix it with the fried chicken and serve it hot with rice or roti.

Chocolate Brownie

2011-11-20T15:48:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Butter 50g
Dark chocolate 75g
Cocoa pdr 10g
Maida 40g
Sugar 150 g
Egg 2
Wanuts 25g
Cashew nuts 50g
Vanilla essence 5 ml

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Melt butter and chocolate together and keep it aside. Combine maida and cocoa pdr. Mix it with crushed cashew and walnuts. Beat sugar and egg till it becomes fluffy and pour the melted chocolate-butter mixture into this. Slowly add the flour and vanilla essence and mix well. Transfer this batter into a greased pan and bake it for 30 mins at 180 deg C.

[Recipe courtesy: Vanitha]

Snow White Cake

2011-11-16T19:32:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 250 gm
Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
Pwd sugar 250 gm
Baking pdr 2 Tsp
Milk 1/2 cup
Butter 250 gm
Egg white of 4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 160 deg C. Mix flour and baking pdr and sieve it twice. Combine butter and powdered sugar till it becomes creamy. Then add the egg whites into this and beat well. Alternately, add flour and milk (beginning and ending with flour) into egg white and mix it using a wooden spoon. Finally mix the vanilla essence, pour the batter into a greased pan and bake it for 40 mins at 160 deg C. (It took 53 mins for me.) Transfer it to a wire rack and cool it.

[Recipe courtesy: Vanitha magazine]

Matha Ila (Pumpkin leaf) Thoran

2011-11-13T21:46:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Pumpkin leaves 10
Kanthari mulaku 5
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Coconut 1 cup
Curry leaves
Shallots 3
Water
Oil

Clean the leaves and slice it thinly. Crush coconut, shallots, chilly and turmeric pdr. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Then add sliced shallots and curry leaves. Saute it and add the crushed coconut and required amount of salt. Finally place the sliced leaves into it and combine well. Sprinkle little water over the leaves and cook it.

Crunchy Chicken Bites

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

For marination:

Boneless chicken 1/4 kg
Ginger paste 1/2 Tsp
Garlic paste 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Lime juice 2 Tsp
Salt

Clean and cut chicken into medium pieces. Marinate it with ginger- garlic paste, pepper pdr, lime juice and salt for 1/2 to 1 hr. Then, microwave it in high power for 2 to 4 mins. Keep it aside and cool it.

For frying:

Crushed cornflakes 2 cup
All purpose flour 1 cup
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Egg 1
Salt
Oil

Crush the cornflakes and keep it aside. Mix salt, all purpose flour and pepper pdr well. First roll the cooked chicken pieces in flour mixture, then dip it in beaten egg and roll it in crushed cornflakes. Heat oil in a kadai and fry it. Since it was cooked before, we do not need to fry it for a longer period. Serve it with tomato ketchup or garlic sauce.

Pavakka Achar

2011-11-04T19:14:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Bittergourd 3
Green chilly 8 to 10
Sliced garlic 10 pods
Sliced ginger 1 1/2 Tbsp
Turmeic powder a pinch
Curry leaves one handful
Fenugeek seeds 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds 1 Tsp
Gingely / veg oil
Vinegar 1/2 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Salt

Clean and cut bittergourd into lengthwise pieces. Mix it with little salt and vinegar and keep it aside for 1 hr or more. Squeeze it and keep it aside (the above procedure helps to decrease the bitterness). Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced ginger, garlic and green chilly. Saute it for few mins and add a pinch of turmeric pdr and salt. Pour water and vinegar into this and boil it well. Reduce the flame and place the bittergourd, mix it and remove it from fire.

(You can increase or decrease the amount of chilly and vinegar accoding to your taste).

Puttum Payarum Pinne Pappadavum

2011-10-31T06:16:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

For Soft Puttu:

Roasted rice flour 1 cup
Cooked rice 1 cup
Grated coconut 3/4 to 1 cup
Salt

For preparing soft puttu, put equal amount of cooked rice (I use Kerala kuthari), roasted rice flour and salt in a mixie and grind it just once or twice. Don't grind it continuously or too much. Transfer it to a bowl and add half of the coconut and mix well. Check the salt.

For preparing puttu, put a layer of grated coconut into the puttu kutti (puttu maker) followed by rice flour and then again a layer of grated coconut. Steam it for 5 to 8 minutes until the steam passes from the top of the puttu kutti. Serve it hot with cherupayar mezhukkupuratty (moong dal) and pappadam.

[Recipe Courtesy of soft Puttu: My Aunt]

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen, hosting by Khusi of A Girl's Diary.

Vendakka (Bhindi) Soup

2011-10-26T18:13:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Vendakka (bhindi)10
Water 4 to 5 cups
Pepper pdr 1 Tbsp
Butter or ghee 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr a pinch
Shallots 5
Salt

Clean and cut the bhindi into medium pieces and cook it well adding little water, just enough to keep the bhindi submerged. Allow it to cool and seive the extract. Add double quantity of water or more into the extract untill it reaches a watery consistency and keep it aside. Heat ghee or butter in a kadai and saute sliced shallots till it turns light brown. Then add turmeric pdr and pepper pdr into this and mix well. Pour the extract
(along with water) into this and boil it well. Finally add required amount of salt and combine well. Remove it from fire. Serve it hot.

[ Recipe Courtesy: My Grandmother ]

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen, hosting by Khusi of A Girl's Diary.

Kaju Katli

2011-10-23T12:58:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Cashews 1 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Water 1/4 cup
Milk 1 T bsp
Ghee

Powder the cashews well using grinder. (Do not use the cashews direct from the fridge. Thaw it first.) Next, boil sugar and water and stir it continously. When it reaches a one-thread consistency, add the powdered cashew into it and mix well. Reduce the flame. When it boils and the cashew paste gets thick remove it from fire. You can check the consistency by rolling a pinch of cashew paste between your fingers. If it's the right consistency, it will roll into an non sticky ball. Stir it for a few more mins and transfer it to a flat surface or to the counter top and knead till it becomes soft and smooth. If the dough appears dry, sprinkle little milk into it and continue kneading. Grease a dish or plate with little ghee and roll it about 1/2 inch thickness and cut it diagonally.

[ Recipe courtesy: Rakskitchen ]

Traditional Chicken Roast

2011-10-16T09:51:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 1/2 kg
Onion 4 big
Tomato 2 big
Shallots 10
Garlic 15 pods
Ginger 1 big piece
Pepper pdr 1/4 Tsp
Turmeric Pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr (spicy) 2 Tsp
Kashmiri chilly pdr 3 Tsp
Garam masala 1/2 to 1 Tsp
Cashew paste 1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces. Marinate it with pepper pdr, salt and little turmeric pdr for 1 to 2 hrs. Then shallow fry it and keep it aside. Grind together shallots, garlic and ginger. Add both the chilly pdrs and turmeric pdr into this and make a fine paste. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Brown the above prepared paste till dark and the oil gets separated. Put sliced onion and saute until it becomes soft. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook it (do not add water). Add the shallow fried chicken and garam masala and cook well. Finally add the cashew paste till it is warm. Remove it from fire. Serve it with palappam or hot rice.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen, hosting by Khusi of A Girl's Diary.

Gulab Jamun

2011-10-12T19:34:00.003+05:30

Ingredients:

Milk powder 1 cup
All purpose flour 1/4 cup
Vegetable oil 2 Tbsp
Baking soda 1/4 Tsp
Cardamom pdr 1 Tsp
Milk as rqd
Sugar 11/2 cup
Water 1 cup

For the sugar syrup, boil water with sugar and cardamom pdr till the sugar completely dissolves. Keep it aside. Sieve the all purpose flour and baking soda. Add milk powder into this and combine well. Make it into a smooth dough using oil and required amount of milk. Make small balls from it. Fry it in oil and soak it in sugar syrup. Heat it in low flame for few minutes and remove it from fire.

Nellikka Chammanthi

2011-10-08T19:49:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Nellikka (Gooseberry / Lololika) 10
Kanthari mulaku (Bird's eye chilly) 5 to 8
Shallots 5
Salt as rqd
Oil 1 Tbsp

Roast or grill the berry over the charcoal (chuttedukkuka) or on the stove top till the skin turns dark in colour. Allow it to cool and cut it into small pieces. Grind all the ingredients together except oil. Transfer it to a bowl and pour rqd amount of oil and mix well.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen, hosting by Khusi of A Girl's Diary.

Mutton Biriyani

2011-10-02T23:01:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:
For rice:

Rice 2 cup
Water 3 1/2 cup
Lime juice 1 Tbsp
Cinnamon 2 piece
Cardamom 3
Cloves 3
Ghee
Salt

Soak the rice and drain it for 10 to 15 mins. Add lime juice, crushed whole spices and salt into water and boil well. At the same time, saute the rice in a little ghee. When it starts to crack, pour the boiling water into the rice. Cover it and cook well. When it becomes void of moisture content, remove the rice and keep it aside.

For Marinating Mutton:

Curd 1/2 cup
Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Crushed pepper 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Biriyani masala 1/2 Tsp
Salt

Cut mutton into medium size pieces. Marinate it with turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, biriyani masala and crushed pepper. Finally add the curd and little salt and mix well. Keep it aside for 1 hr. Then pressure cook it and keep it aside.

For Gravy:

Mutton 1 kg
Tomato 3
Onion 3
Green chilly 5
Garlic 5 to 10 pods
Ginger 1 big pice
Biriyani masala 1 to 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Coriander leaves
Mint leaves
Salt
Ghee

Heat ghee in a kadai and add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilly. Saute it for a few mins and add thinly sliced onion. When it turns light brown, add rqd amount of salt, turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and coriander pdr. Combine it well and put the chopped tomato and brown it well. Then place the cooked mutton into the masala and cook it for few mins. Finally add biriyani masala, chopped coriander and mint leaves. Remove it from fire and keep it aside for few mins.

For Garnishing:

Cashew nuts 1/2 cup
Raisins 1/2 cup
Fried onion as rqd
Corriander leaves as rqd
Mint leaves as rqd

Fry thinly sliced onions in ghee till it turns golden brown. Fry cashews and raisins in the same ghee and keep it aside.

For layering:

Add little ghee into a heavy bottom vessel and put a layer of mutton. Then arrange a layer of rice and spread it well using a big spoon. Next add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onion. Repeat the same process and arrange the final layer with rice. Garnish it wth little ghee, corriander leaves and mint leaves, fried cashews, kismis and onion. Cover it well and cook it in low flame for 10 to 15 mins.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen, hosting by Khusi of A Girl's Diary.

Chembin Thalu (Taro stem) Thoran

2011-09-25T07:16:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Taro stem 2
Coconut 1 cup
Mustard seeds
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Curry leaves
Chilly 2 to 4
Shallots 3
Salt
Oil

Peel off the skin of the taro stem and chop it well. Mix it with salt and keep it aside for 15 mins. Then squeeze it well. Grind together coconut, green chilly, shallots and turmeric pdr. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Then add curry leaves and coconut mix into this. Saute it for few mins and put chopped stem into this. Combine it slowly and cook it.

Shortbread with a Citrus twist

2011-09-20T20:53:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Maida 1 1/4 cup
Cold butter 1/4 cup
Lemon peel 1 Tbsp
Sugar 4 Tbsp

Preheat oven to 325 deg F. In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar and the lemon peels. Mix the cold butter with the flour and form a ball and knead until smooth. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls until they are 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 15 to 18 mins or just until bottoms start to become brown and centers are set. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool.

[Recipe courtesy: Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Cookie Book]

Chettinadu Chicken

2011-09-16T06:44:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 8 to 10 piece
Saunf (fennel seeds) 1 Tsp
Turmeric pdr
Shallots 1/4 kg
Dry chilly 10 to 15
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Tomato 2
Water
Oil
Salt

Marinate chicken with turmeric pdr and salt. Heat oil in a kadai and saute saunf, splitted dry chilly and curry leaves. Then add sliced shallots into this and roast it well. When it turns brown, put chopped tomatoes and cook well. Finally add chicken, salt and little water. Remove it from fire and add chopped coriander.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

Nutmeg Jam

2011-09-11T18:22:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Nutmeg (outer fleshy part) 1 kg
Nutmeg pdr 1/4 Tsp (optional)
Sugar 3/4 kg

Clean and cut the outer fleshy part of nutmeg into small pieces. Then pressure cook it using little water. After cooling down, grind it well and transfer it to a thick bottom vessel or non-stick kadai. Cook it in high flame for few mins and add sugar into it and reduce the flame. Stir it continously without burning it. When it thickens and reaches the consistency of a jam, add the nutmeg pdr and mix well. Allow it to cool completely and refrigerate it.

Rasam

2011-09-04T21:17:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Toor dal 1/4 cup
Tamarind lemon sized
Tomato 3
Chilly pdr 1/4 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
Hing a pinch
Cumin pdr a pinch
Rasam pdr 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves
Jaggery a pinch
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Coriander leaves
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Dry chilly 3
Water
Oil

Soak the dal for 1/2 hr and cook it with salt and required amount of water. Add the tamarind extract into this. Then add tomato, chilly pdr, pepper pdr, hing, cumin, rasam pdr, curry leaves, jaggery, and turmeric into the cooked dal and boil it well. Season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry chilly. Finally add chopped coriander leaves.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

Vendakka Kichadi

2011-09-01T19:45:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Okra (Vendakka or Ladies Finger) 5
Shallots 2 to 3
Curryleaves few
Mustard seeds
Yoghurt 1 cup
Dry chilly 2
Salt
Oil

Beat the yoghurt and keep it aside. Cut okra into small pieces and shallow fry it in coconut oil. Then add this fried okra and required amount of salt into the yoghurt and mix well. Season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves, shallots and dry chilly.

Kadukumanga Achar

2011-08-28T20:02:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Mango 1 big
Sliced green chilly 2
Sliced ginger 1 big piece
Sliced garlic 5 to 10 pods
Asafoetida pdr 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 2 Tbsp
Fenugreek seeds few
Mustard seeds few
Vinegar 1 Tbsp
Water 1/4 cup
Sugar a pinch
Curry leaves
Gingely oil
Salt

Clean and cut mango into small pieces. Mix it with little salt and keep it aside for 1/2 hr to 1 hr. Then heat gingely oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced garlic, ginger and green chilly. Saute it for a few mins and add chilly pdr and turmeric pdr. Reduce the heat and saute it till it is devoid of raw smell. Then pour vinegar, warm water and salt into the above mixture and boil it well. Remove it from fire and add the mango pieces, pinch of sugar and asafoetida pdr into this. Mix it well and allow it to cool. Keep in an air tight container.

Banana Chips

2011-08-24T21:18:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw plantain
Water
Salt
Oil

Peel off the plantain skin and put the plantain in water for a few mins. Then take it from water and wipe the water away. Mix salt with little water and keep it aside. Heat oil in a cheenachatti and directly slice the plantain (thin round pieces) into the hot oil. Fry well till it turns crispy. Reduce the heat and sprinkle salt water over this and mix well. Remove it from oil when the bubbles subside. Spread it on a paper napkin and store in an air tight container.

Pal Payasam - Milk Kheer (Pressure Cooker Method)

2011-08-20T22:14:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Milk 4 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Water 1 cup
Rice (Unakkalari) one handful
Cardamom 3 crushed (optional)

Add all the ingredients into a pressure cooker and cook it in high flame till the first whistle. Then reduce the flame and cook it for 30 mins. Remove it from fire and keep it aside for another 10 mins. Open the lid and stir it well. Serve it hot.

Apple Punch

2011-08-15T19:18:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Apple 1 Chopped
Apple juice 2 cup
7 Up 1 cup
Mint leaves few
Lemon slice 1
Ice cubes

Mix the apple juice and 7 Up. Then add the chopped apple, mint leaves and lemon slices into this and mix well. Refrigerate it and serve it chilled.

Vendakka Thoran

2011-08-11T21:43:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Okra (vendakka) 10
Coconut 1 cup
Chopped onion 1 big
Chopped garlic 1 Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
Musatrd seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Cut okra into small pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add chopped garlic, onion and curry leaves. Saute it till it turns light brown and add chilly and turmeric pdr. Stir it well and put okra into this. Saute it in high flame for few mins without burning it. Cook it and add the grated coconut and salt. Reduce the heat and stir it till it turns crispy.

Chakkapazham (Jackfruit) Varattiyathu

2011-08-06T17:58:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Jackfruit 1
Jaggery 1/2 kg
Cardamom pdr 1 Tbsp
Rice 1/2 cup
Ghee as rqd

Add a little water into the jaggery and melt it. Sieve it and keep it aside. Fry the rice well in a kadai or cheenachatti till they start splitting. Make the rice into fine powder. Cut the jackfruit into small pieces and cook it well using little water. Then transfer it into a uruli (heavy bottomed vessel) and pour the melted jaggery and stir it well in high flame. When it is devoid of water and the jackfruit turns thick, reduce the heat and pour little ghee, powdered cardamom and roasted rice pdr. Stir it continously and add ghee little by little and stop when it no longer sticks to the vessel. Transfer it into a greased plate and flatten it. Allow it to cool and cut it.

Meen Pachaveppu

2011-07-31T11:48:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Fish 1/2 kg
Green chilly 3
Shallots 3 cup
Ginger 1 big piece
Kudampuli (gamboge) 4 piece
Coriander pdr 1 1/2 Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tbsp
Semithick coconut milk 3 cup
Thick coconut milk 1 cup
Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves
Dry chilly
Salt
Oil

Combine sliced shallots, green chilly, curry leaves, ginger and 2 tsp oil using hand. Slowly mix this with the fish pieces and add turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, coriander pdr, salt, kudampuli and semi thick coconut milk. Cook it in medium heat. When the gravy starts to thicken, pour the thick coconut milk. As soon as it starts boiling, remove it from fire and season it with shallots, curry leaves, dry chilly and chilly pdr.

Ottada

2011-07-26T16:54:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Rice flour 1 cup
Grated coconut 1 cup
Grated jaggery 1 cup
Salt to taste
Water
Banana leaf

Combine grated coconut and jaggery using hand and keep it aside. Mix rice flour and salt and pour required amount of boiling water into it and mix well using a spoon. After cooling down, knead it into a soft dough (like idiyappam). Take one rectangular shaped banana leaf and flatten a small portion of the dough thinly into it. Then fill 1/2 portion of the dough with the coconut mixture and fold it with the other part. This is called ada. Heat a shallow clay pot (chatti) or a thick bottom vessel well and put the ada into it. Then put any weight (another plate or chatti) on the top of this. Reduce the heat and cook it for few mins and remove the plate from the top of the ada. When the banana leaf starts to dry and the side portion of the ada turns light brown flip it and cook it well (this time, there is no need to put weight on top).

Caramel Pudding

2011-07-21T20:54:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Milk 500 ml + 1/4 cup cold milk
Sugar 1/2 to 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp
Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
Custard pdr 1 Tbsp
Water 2 Tsp
Egg 3

Boil the milk and cool it. Caramelise the sugar and pour it into the pudding dish/tray and keep it aside. Then beat the egg and sugar till it turns fluffy and add the milk and vanilla essence. Beat and transfer to a bowl. Combine cornflour and cold milk. Mix it with the above prepared mixture and pour it over the caramelised sugar. Cover it with an aluminium foil and steam it in low flame. Remove it from fire and cool it. Then refrigerate it.

[Recipe Courtesy: My Mom]

Kakka Irachi (Clam) Fry

2011-07-17T13:38:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Kakka Irachi (clam) 250 gm
Coconut pieces 3 Tbsp
Garlic 10 to 15 pods
Ginger 1 big piece
Shallots 10 to 15
Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Garam masala 1 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 Tbsp
Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Wash the clam with hot water. Add crushed ginger, garlic, shallots, coconut pieces, curry leaves, spices, salt and a little water and cook it well. Remove it from fire. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, put the cooked mussels into it and fry it well.

Tomato Chutney

2011-07-13T21:45:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Tomato 2 med
Shallots 5
Ginger 1 big piece
Dry chilly 2
Coconut 11/2 Tbsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Saute sliced shallots, ginger, dry chilly and curry leaves in a little oil. Reduce the heat and add the grated coconut into this. Stir it. When it turns golden colour, add chopped tomatoes and salt into it. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. After cooling down, grind it well. Transfer it to a bowl. Heat oil in a pan, season it and pour it over the grounded chutney.

Muringakka Thoran

2011-07-07T06:49:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Drumsticks 10
Coconut 1 to 1 1/2 cup
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Green chilly 2 to 4
Shallots 2 to 4
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Split the drumsticks length wise and remove the inner fleshy part using a spoon. Wash it in running water and chop it. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots and turmeric pdr. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves and sliced shallots. Add grounded coconut, salt and saute it for a few mins. Add the chopped vegetables to it and cook well.

Dates Coconut Magic!

2011-06-20T18:24:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Dates 10 (seedless)
Condensed milk 1 Tbsp
Coconut 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
Chopped cashewnuts 1/4 cup

Slowly blend all the ingredients except the 1/2 cup of coconut in a food processor. Transfer it into a bowl and make small balls. Roll each ball in freshly grated coconut. Desiccated coconut can also be used for easiness.

Cherupayar (Moong Dal) Thoran

2011-06-11T20:28:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Moong Dal (cherupayar) 1/4 kg
Coconut 1/2 portion
Shallots 2 to 4
Green chilly 3
Garlic 3 cloves
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Soak moong dal for 30 to 45 min. Cook it and keep it aside. Grind together coconut, shallots, chilly, garlic and turmeric pdr. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add sliced shallots and curry leaves. When it turns brown, add the grounded coconut into this. Add rqd amount of salt and saute it for few mins. Finally add cooked moong dal and pepper pdr into it and mix well. Sprinkle little water and cover it. cook it for few more min.

Muringakka Manga Curry

2011-05-30T10:35:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Drumstick (muringakka) 3 big
Mango (manga) 1/2
Shallots 1/2 cup
Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1 Tbsp
Semi thick coconut milk 2 cup
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 Tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves
Dry chylli 2
Water
Salt
Oil

Cut drumsticks into pieces, lengthwise. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Allow it to splutter and add shallots. When it turns light brown, add drumstick pieces and cook it for 5 mins. Reduce the heat and add the powders. Saute it well till the raw smell goes. Then put the mango pieces, salt and coconut milk into this. Cook it in med flame.

Masala Kadala

2011-05-23T23:05:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Gram flour 1 cup
Raw peanuts 1 cup
Kashmiri Chilli pdr 1Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Garlic paste 1 Tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry leaves few
Vegetable oil 3 Tbsp
Water 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Add all the ingredients into a microwave safe bowl except oil and water. Mix it and pour vegetable oil into this and stir well. Slowly add water and mix it till it coats well on the peanuts. Then microwave it for 2 mins. Take it out and stir it using a fork. Again heat it for 1 min. Repeat the process till it becomes crispy. It took me 6 to 8 mins.

[Recipe Courtesy: Sree's Recipes]

Muringa Poovu (Drumstick flower) Thoran

2011-05-18T01:48:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Drumstick flowers 2 cup
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Coconut 1 cup
Shallots 2 to 4
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Chilly 2 to 5
Water
Salt
Oil

Clean the flowers and soak it in turmeric water for 15 mins. Squeeze it well and keep it aside. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots and turmeric pdr. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add grounded coconut, curry leaves and salt. Saute it for a few mins and add the flowers. Mix it and sprinkle some water. Cook it in low flame.

Dates Cake

2011-05-02T21:27:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Egg 3
Dates 2 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Milk1/4 cup
Veg oil 1 cup
Baking soda 1/2 Tsp
Baking powder 1 Tsp
All purpose flour 2 cup
Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
Cashew nuts (optional)
Water

Soak the seedless dates in little water for 15 mins and grind it with milk. Keep it aside. Add baking powder and baking soda into the flour and sieve it. Beat the sugar and egg well. Then pour oil into this and mix it. Combine together flour, egg mixture and vanilla essence. Finally add the grounded dates and chopped nuts (optional). Pour this batter into a greased pan and bake it for 40 to 45 mins at 190 deg C.

Veg Jalfrezi

2011-04-27T20:58:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Carrot 1
Potato 1
Beans 5
Capsicum 1
Dry chilly 3
Sliced onion 2
Grounded tomamo 1
Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
Chat masala 2 Tsp
Coriander leaves
Cumin seeds
Oil 2 Tbsp
Salt

Fry the thinly sliced vegetables in oil and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds and dry chilly. Then add sliced onion and saute it. Next pour grounded tomato into this and cook till the raw smell goes. Put salt, coriander pdr and chat masala into the the onion. Saute it and put the fried vegetables. Mix it well. Remove it from fire and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Red Fish Curry... (Wishing you all a very Happy Easter...!!)

2011-04-23T09:57:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Kingfish (Seer fish) 1/2 kg
Crushed garlic 6 pods
Crushed ginger 1 piece
Splitted chilly 2
Grounded onion 1
Grounded tomato 2
Chilly pdr 2 T bsp
Tamarind juice 1 Tbsp
Fenugreek pdr 1/2 Tsp
Cumin pdr 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds 1 Tsp
Curry leaves few
Shallots 100 g
Water 1 cup
Oil 4 Tbsp
Salt

Heat oil in a chatti or kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Saute the curry leaves and shallots. Add crushed ginger and garlic into this and roast it. Then add grounded onion and cook well. When oil starts to separate, pour grounded tomato and cook it till the raw smell goes. Reduce the heat and add the chilly pdr and roast it well. Add water, salt and fish pieces into this and cook it. After that add tamarind juice and splitted chilly. Slowly mix it. When it starts boiling, add roasted cumin and fenugreek pdrs into it and remove it from heat

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha Pachakam]

Spicy Mushroom Roast

2011-04-19T09:45:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Mushroom 2 cup
Chopped onion 1 big
Chopped ginger 1 big piece
Chopped garlic 5 to 6 pods
Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Cut mushroom into medium pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curry leaves, chopped onion, ginger, garlic and salt. Saute till it turns brown colour. Reduce the heat and add the powders. Stir it for a few minutes and add the mushrooms. Combine well and cook it in med heat.

Double Chocolate Cake (a surprise cake for my sweet hubby's b'day...!!)

2011-04-16T22:33:00.001+05:30

For the cake:
Ingredients:

All purpose flour 1 1/2 cup
Warm water 1 cup
Cocoa pdr 1/2 cup
Baking soda 3/4 Tsp
Sunflower oil 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence 1 Tbsp
Distilled white vinegar 2 Tsp
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Sugar 1 cup

For Chocolate Ganache:

Dark Chocolate 200 gm
Amul fresh cream 200 ml

Preheat the oven to 190 deg C. Grease one 8 inch pan and keep it aside. Mix warm water and cocoa pdr without lumps. Combine flour, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Then pour cocoa mix, oil and vanilla essence into it and beat well. Finally add vinegar. Transfer it into the greased pan and bake it for 30 to 35 mins. (It took 50 mins for me.) Bake and cool well.

For preparing ganache, cut the baking chocolate into small pieces. Heat the cream until it starts boiling and pour it over the chocolate. Stir well and allow it to cool to room temp and refrigerate it. Pour it over the cake and slowly spread it using a spatula.

[Recipe Courtesy: Marthastewart.com and http://divyascookbook.blogspot.com]

Tender Coconut Smoothie

2011-04-10T11:32:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Tender coconut 1/2
Coconut water 2 cup
Honey 2 Tsp

Add all ingredients into a mixie or blender. Blend it well till it becomes creamy. You can increase or decrease the amount of honey. Serve it cold.

Sending this to keralakitchen, an event hosted by Ria and Magpies....

Taro (Chembu) Mezhukkupuratty

2011-04-05T12:34:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Taro 2 to 5
Shallots 5 to 7
Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Peel the skin of the taro and wash it. Cut it into small pieces. Add spice powders, curry leaves, shallots, salt and little water into the taro and cook well. Remove the lid and make it dry. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curry leaves and a few shallots. Then add cooked taro and saute till it turns dry.

Spicy Prawns Masala

2011-03-30T18:55:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Prawns 1/2 kg
Onion 2 big
Tomato 1 big
Ginger paste 1 Tbsp
Garlic paste 1 Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 3 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Marinate prawns with chilly pdr, salt, little turmeric pdr, ginger and garlic paste for 1/2 hr. Shallow fry it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves and sliced onion. Saute till it turns brown and add rest of the chilly pdr and turmeric pdr. Mix and add the chopped tomato. Cook it well and put the shallow fried prawns into it. Pour little water into it and cook it for a few mins.

Koottu Curry

2011-03-25T10:23:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw banana 2
Black channa 1 cup
Coconut 1/2 grated
Turmeric pdr a pinch
Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
Dry chilly 2 to 3
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Coconut
Urud dal
Shallots
Water
Salt
oil

Soak channa overnight. Cook black channa and raw banana separately with salt, pepper pdr and little turmeric pdr. Keep it aside. Grind together cumin seeds and grated coconut. Mix together the cooked plantain and channa and pour the grounded coconut into it. Heat it in low flame for few mins. Season it with mustard seeds, urud dal, curry leaves, shallots, dry chilly and grated coconut.

Pineapple Pudding.... Our 3rd Blog Anniversary...!!!

2011-03-20T16:30:00.000+05:30

I would like to let you know that today is our blog's 3rd BIRTHDAY.....!!! Thanks to all who supported us throughout. We are happy that we have an additional member in the family to celebrate this occasion....

Ingredients:

Pineapple 1 big
Whipped cream 1 pkt
Milkmaid 3/4 to 1 tin
Pineapple jelly 2 pkt
Cold water 2 cup
Hot water 2 cup
Sugar 1 Tbsp

Chop pineapple well and cook it with sugar. Allow it to cool. Prepare jelly by following the instructions on the packet. (I prepared it by pouring 2 cups of hot water into the jelly mix, dissolving it well, then pouring cold water and cooling it). Add milkmaid into the prepared jelly mix and combine well. Put cooked pineapple into this and mix well. Transfer it into a tray and refrigerate it. Set it well and spread the whipped cream over it.

Fish Phyllo Cup

2011-03-14T21:11:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Phyllo (aka fillo) sheets 2 to 5
Tilapia 2 to 4 pieces
Chopped onion 1 big
Sliced mushroom 1/4 cup
Chopped red capsicum 1 small
Chopped green capsicum 1 small
Chopped ginger 1 small piece
Chopped garlic 2 to 5
Pepper pdr 1 to 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Soy sauce 1 Tsp
Salt

Cook fish with salt, pepper pdr and turmeric pdr. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onion, ginger and garlic. When it turns light brown, add chopped capsicum, sliced mushroom and stir it for a few mins. Add pepper pdr, soy sauce and little salt into this. Mix and add the cooked fish. Combine it well using a wooden spoon and make the fish mix. Allow it to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Prepare the phyllo cups according to the instruction on the cover and place it in a greased muffin pan. Fill the cups with fish mix and bake it in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 mins.

Chilly Chicken Pizza

2011-03-09T20:28:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Ready-made pizza base 2
Pizza cheese 150 g

For Marinating:

Boneless chicken 150 g
Red chilly paste 1 Tsp
Chopped capsicum 1 small
Chopped onion 1 small
Soy sauce 1 Tsp
Vinegar 1 Tsp
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Pepper 1/2 Tsp
Oregano 1/2 Tsp
Cornflour 1 Tsp
Oil 1 Tbsp
Chopped garlic 4 pods
Ready made tomato puree 1/2 cup
Tomato ketchup 3 Tbsp

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients for 1 to 1 1/2 h. Cover it and microwave it for 3 min. For preparing pizza, arrange it on a wire rack or greased tawa. Add some cheese and spread the chilly chicken. Sprinkle the remaining cheese. Preheat the oven to 250 deg C and bake it for 8 min or till the base gets crisp and the cheese melts.

[Recipe Courtesy: Nita Mehta's Cookbook, Tastes of India (Microwave recipes)]

Thenga Chuttaracha Chammanthi (Roasted Coconut Chutney)

2011-03-04T22:30:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Coconut 1/2 portion
Tamarind (lemon sized)
Ginger 1 big piece
Curry leaves few
Dry chilly 5
Shallots 4
Salt

Cut coconut into small pieces and grill it (traditionally, it is roasted over burning charcoal) for 10 to 12 mins or till it turns to a golden brown colour. Then fry the dry chilly in little oil and keep it aside. Grind together coconut pieces, dry chilly, ginger, shallots, tamarind, few curry leaves and salt. Serve it with rice.

Mung Bean Sprouts and Spinach Mezhukkupuratty

2011-02-27T20:59:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Sprouted mung beans 2 cup
Spinach 1/2 bunch
Garlic 5 to 6 pods
Dry chilly 5 to 6
Mustard seeds
Turmeric pdr
Curry leaves
Onion 1 big
Salt

Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add sliced onion, garlic, curry leaves and salt. When it turns light brown, reduce the heat and add the crushed dry chilly and turmeric pdr. Mix well and put the sprouted beans and cook well. Finally add the choped spinach and cook for few minutes.

Irachi (beef) Puttu

2011-02-23T10:54:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

For Puttu:

Rice flour 1 1/2 cup
Coconut 1/4 cup
Water as rqd
Salt as rqd

Mix together salt and rqd amount of water. Sprinkle this water slowly over the rice flour and mix well. Continue this till the flour turns soft and smooth. Do not use too much water. (The perfect stage to stop the process is to take a handful of wet flour in the hand, just press it and open the fist. If the flour remains as a solid chunk without breaking or splitting apart, you can stop the process). Add little grated coconut into the flour and mix well. (To make soft puttu, just grind the flour in a mixer).

For Meat Masala:

Beef 100 g
Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Salt
Chopped onion 2
Chopped chilly 2
Chopped coriander leaves
Minced garlic 4 pods
Minced ginger 1 small piece
Turmeric pdr a pinch
Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Cook beef with chilly pdr, coriander pdr, salt and turmeric pdr. Cool it and mince it. Keep it aside. Mix together all the ingredients from chopped onion to salt. Heat oil in a kadai and add all the ingredients into it. Saute it till it becomes brown colour. Add the minced meet into this and saute it well again. Remove it from fire.

For preparing puttu, instead of coconut put a layer of meat into the puttu kutti (puttu maker) first and then put flour and again a layer of meat. Steam it for 5 to 8 min until the steam comes out.

Apple Cinnamon Jam (Microwave Method)

2011-02-19T16:43:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Apple 2 peeled and chopped
Ground cinnamon 1/2 Tsp
Lemon juice 1 Tbsp
Sugar 1/4 cup

Put chopped apples in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave it for 3 min or till the apples are soft. Mash it well. Add sugar and lemon juice. Microwave uncovered for 8 min or till dry. Add cinnamon pdr and mix well. Cool it and transfer it to a jar and refrigerate.

[Recipe Courtesy: Nita Mehta's Cookbook, Tastes of India (Microwave recipes)]

Bread Balls

2011-02-15T21:04:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Bread crumbs from fresh bread 1 cup
Crushed cashew nuts 1 Tbsp
Sugar as rqd
Milk as rqd
Oil

Mix together bread crumbs, finely crushed cashew nuts and required amount of sugar. Add milk little by little into the bread crumbs and mix well. Make small balls from these and fry well.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

Chicken Pepper Fry

2011-02-08T21:35:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 kg
Onion 4
Green chilly 5
Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 3/4 Tsp
Vinegar 1 1/2 Tbsp
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into med pieces. Add chopped onion (med size), sliced chilly, 1 tsp pepper pdr, turmeric pdr, vinegar, salt and a few curry leaves into chicken. Cook it well. Remove the lid and saute till it becomes dry. Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, garam masala and pepper pdr. Add cooked chicken into this and make it dry.

Unniyappam

2011-02-02T09:02:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Wheat flour 2 cup
Grated jaggery 2 cup
Banana 3 (Palayankodan)
Crushed cardamom 1 Tsp
Sesame seeds 2 Tsp
Ghee 2 Tsp
Oil

Melt grated jaggery with 1/4 cup of water and sieve it. Cool it and mix it with wheat flour and banana. Mash it well. Add crushed cardamom, sesame seeds and ghee into this and keep it aside for 1/2 hr. Heat oil in a unniyappam pan or in a kadai. Pour batter into oil and fry well.

[Recipe Courtesy: Lekshmi Nair, Magic Oven]

Gooseberry Pickle

2011-01-26T12:50:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Gooseberry 1/2 k
Ginger 1 big piece
Garlic 10 to 15 pods
Chilly pdr 2 to 3 Tbsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Vinegar 2 to 4 Tbsp
Fenugreek seeds
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Hing (asafoetida) 3/4 Tsp
Oil (Gingely)
Salt

Cook gooseberry in water and little salt. Allow it to cool. Keep the water aside and remove the seeds from the berry and slice it into small pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced ginger and garlic. Saute till it turns light brown. Reduce the heat and add chilly pdr, turmeric pdr, hing and salt. Roast it well and pour rqd amount of water (water which was used to cook the gooseberry) and vinegar into it and boil well. Add the cooked gooseberry into it and mix well. Remove it from fire and cool it. Store it in an air tight container.

Mathanga Vanpayar Erisseri

2011-01-18T23:18:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Mathanga (pumpkin) 1/4 kg
Vanpayar (red gram) 1 cup
Coconut 1 cup
Shallots 4 to 5
Chilly 4 to 5
Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Dry chilly

Cook pumpkin and vanpayar seperately with little salt. Mash it with a wooden spoon and keep it aside. Grind together coconut, shallots, chilly, cumin seeds and turmeric pdr. Pour it into the cooked vegetable and combine well. Heat it well and season it with mustard seeds, sliced shallots, curry leaves, dry chilly and grated coconut.

Manga Chammanthi (Mango Chutney)

2011-01-10T23:01:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw mango 1 small
Coconut 1/2 grated
Green chilly 3 to 4
Ginger small piece
Shallots 2 to 3
Salt

First grind the sliced mango, then add the coconut, chilly, shallots, salt and ginger. Grind it well.

Chicken Biriyani... Wish you all a wonderful New Year....!!

2010-12-31T21:32:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

For Rice:

Rice 1 kg
Water 7 1/2 to 8
Lime juice of 1 lime
Cinnamon 1 big piece
Cardamom 1 to 2
Cloves 2 to 3
Ghee as rqd
Salt

Wash the rice and drain it for 10 to 15 mins. Add 1 tbsp ghee, lime juice, crushed whole spices and salt into water and boil well. At the same time saute the rice in little ghee. When it starts to crack, pour the boiling water into the rice. Cover it and cook well. When it becomes void of moisture content, remove the rice and keep it aside.

For Garnishing:

Cashew nuts 1/2 cup
Raisins 1/2 cup
Fried onion as rqd
Rose water 1 to 2 Tbsp
Corriander leaves as rqd
Mint leaves as rqd

Fry thinly sliced onions in ghee till it turns golden brown. Fry cashews and raisins in the same ghee and keep it aside.

For Marinating Chicken:

Chicken 1 kg
Curd 1/2 cup
Corriander 1/4 bunch
Mint leaves 1/4 bunch
Crushed ginger 1 big piece
Crushed garlic 1 pod
Green chilly 4 to 5
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Crushed pepper 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp

Marinate the chicken pieces with finelly chopped mint and coriander leaves. Add the crushed ginger, garlic and sliced chilly along with turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and crushed pepper. Finally add the curd and mix well. Keep it aside for 2 hrs.

For Curry:

Onion 6 to 7 med
Tomato 3 to 5 med
Green chilly 2 to 3
Mint leaves 1/4 bunch
Coriander leaves 1/4 bunch
Ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1 Tsp
Garam masala 2 Tsp
Crushed pepper 1 Tsp
Cashew paste 30 g
Oil or ghee

Grind together coriander and mint leaves into a paste and keep it aside. Heat oil or ghee in a pan and add ginger garlic paste and sliced onion. Stir it till it turns light brown. Then add the turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, coriander pdr, crushed pepper corns and garam masala. Cook it well. Pour the above prepared coriander mint paste into the masala and stir it well. Now add the tomatoes and green chilly. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. When the chicken is half done, add the cashew paste. Add rqd amount of salt into it and cook well.

For Layering:

Add fried onion, coriander leaves and mint leaves on the top of chicken. Then add the rice and spread it with a spoon. Sprinkle little rose water and add the fried nuts, raisins and onion. Repeat the same process. Arrange the top most layer with rice and garnish it with fried nuts, raisins, onion and rose water. Cover it well and cook it or bake it for 5 to 10 mins.

Melting Moments Cookie... Happy X'mas to all....!!

2010-12-22T10:51:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (maida) 1 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar 1/4 cup
Unsalted butter 1 cup
Cornflour 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
Salt 1/4 Tsp

In a bowl mix together all purpose flour, corn flour and salt. Keep it aside. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the flour mixture into the butter and combine well. Cover and refrigerate the dough for minimum 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep it aside. When the dough is firm, form it into 1 inch balls and place it on the tray. Bake it for 12 to 15 min or until the edges starts to turn brown. Remove it from oven and cool it. When it cools completely, sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of the cookies.

[Recipe Courtesy: JoyOfBaking.com]

Vazhakka Thoran

2010-12-04T18:59:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw banana (vazhakka) 3
Shallots 5 to 10
Green chilly 3 to 5
Garlic 5 to 10 pods
Coconut 1 to 1/4 cup
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Peel the skin of the banana and cut it into medium sized cubes. Cook it with salt and little turmeric pdr. Drain the water and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the crushed shallots, garlic, green chilly, curry leaves, little salt and turmeric pdr. Saute till it turns light brown colour. Reduce the heat and add the grated coconut and pepper pdr. Stir it for a few minutes and add the cooked raw banana. Saute it till it becomes dry.

[Recipe Courtesy: From a cookery show.]

Cabbage Potato Curry

2010-11-27T21:01:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Potato 1
Chopped cabbage 1/2
Chopped onion 1 big
Crushed ginger 1 Tbsp
Crushed garlic 5 to 6
Chopped chilly 2 to 4
Thick coconut milk 1/2 cup
Meat masala 3 Tsp
Vinegar 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Cumin seeds
Water
Salt
Oil

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic, ginger and chilly. Saute it for few mins and add chopped onion and salt. Stir till it turns brown. Then add meat masala and combine it well in low flame. Add potato pieces and cook it for some time. Then put chopped cabbage and mix well. Pour rqd amount of water and vinegar into this. Cook it in med flame. Finally pour the thick coconut milk and heat it for few min. Remove it from fire.

Thakkali Theeyal

2010-11-20T16:47:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Tomato (thakkali) 3
Green chilly 5
Sliced shallots 1/4 cup
Tamarind paste as rqd
Coconut 1/2 grated
Unakka kanthari mulaku (dry bird's eye chilly) 8
Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Curry leaves
Oil

Heat oil in a kadai and add the chopped tomato, sliced shallots and chilly. Saute it well. Roast the grated coconut, kanthari mulaku and curry leaves in a kadai (roast it in low flame) till it turns brown colour. Remove it from fire and add the chilly pdr and mix well. Allow it to cool and grind it well without adding water. Add this paste into the sauted tomato mix and add water and salt. Boil it well. Add rqd amount of tamarind paste and boil for few min.

[Recipe courtesy: Vanitha]

Black Channa Masala

2010-11-14T16:43:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Black channa 1 cup
Onion 2 big
Green chilly 3
Tomato 1 med
Garlic 5 to 8 pods
Ginger 1 big piece
Coconut pieces 1/4 cup
Thick coconut milk 1 cup
Chicken masala 3 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Soak channa overnight. Heat oil in a cooker and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add half of the sliced onion and coconut pieces. Saute till it turns brown and add half of the tomato. Cook it and add the channa and little salt. Cook till it turns soft. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add rest of the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and salt. When it becomes light brown, add chicken masala and pepper pdr. Roast it well and add the chopped tomato. Add little water into it and cook well. Then add the cooked channa into this and mix well. Cover it and cook it in low flame for 5 to 10 min. Then pour the coconut milk and heat it for few min. Remove it from fire.

Gobi Manchurian (Dry)

2010-11-06T11:33:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (gobi) 1 small
Capsicum 1
Chilly 5 to 6
Onion 2 med
Celery 2 Tbsp
Chopped ginger 1 piece
Chopped garlic 2 Tbsp
Pepper pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Tomato sauce 1 Tbsp
Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
Cornflour 1/4 cup
Maida 1/4 cup
Egg 1 (optional)
Water 1 cup
Sugar 1 Tsp
Salt
Oil

Soak cauliflower in hot water with little salt and turmeric pdr for 15 to 30 min. Drain the water and keep it aside. Mix together maida, little salt, egg (optional) and pepper pdr with little water and make it into a thick batter. Dip the cauliflower pieces in this batter and fry well. Heat oil in another pan and saute chilly, chopped ginger, garlic, onion and celery for few min. Then add capsicum and saute it for another 5 min. Pour soy sauce and tomato sauce into this and mix well. Add water, pepper pdr, sugar and rqd amount of salt into this and boil well. When the water thickens and becomes half the quantity, add the fried cauliflower and combine well. Transfer into a bowl and serve hot.

[Recipe Courtesy: Lekshmi Nair, Magic Oven]

Vellarikka Parippu Charu (Cucumber Dal Curry)

2010-10-30T19:30:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Toor dal 1 cup
Sliced cucumber 2 cup
Coconut 1/2 grated
Green chilly 3 to 5
Shallots 2 to 3
Garlic 3 to 4
Dry chilly 2
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Soak dal for 1/2 an hour. Cook dal and cucumber with little salt, water and turmeric pdr. Grind together coconut, cumin seeds, chilly, shallots, garlic and curry leaves. Add this grounded paste and rqd amount of salt into the cooked dal and boil it in low flame. Season it with mustard seeds, shallots, dry chilly and curry leaves.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

Raw Plantain Peel Curry

2010-10-21T23:25:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw plantain peel (vazhakka tholi) 1 cup
Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chopped onion 1 big
Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Ginger 1 big piece
Mustard seed
Curd 1/4 cup
Curry leaves
Chilly 2 to 4
Salt
Oil

Chop the plantain peels and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, saute the onion, ginger, chilly and curry leaves. Saute it well and add the chilly pdr, turmeric pdr and garam masala pdr. Mix it well and add the plantain peels into this and cook well. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. Then add the curd and rqd amount of salt.

Pita bread with Garlic yogurt sauce

2010-10-10T01:23:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Pita Bread

Dry yeast 2 Tsp
Warm water 1 cup
Flour 3 cups
Salt 1 Tsp

Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Sift together the flour and salt. Add yeast and water into the flour and make it into a dough and knead for several minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. With a rolling pin, pat and press each portion of dough into a thickness of 1/2-inch. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the pita are light golden brown.

Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Plain yogurt 1 cup
Garlic 2 pods grounded
Pepper pdr 1 pinch
Olive oil

Beat yogurt gently with a fork or whisk until it's smooth and creamy. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill until needed.

Diamond Cuts

2010-10-02T21:29:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 2 cup
Beaten egg 2 1/2 Tbsp
Cardamom seeds 2
Water 1/2 cup
Pinch of salt
Oil

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar 1/2 cup
Water 2 Tsp
Cardamom seed 1

Mix the all purpose flour, salt and beaten egg. Add water little by little into the flour and knead it into a soft dough, like chappathi. Add crushed cardamom into this and knead well. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep it aside for 15 mins. Divide the dough into medium sized balls and roll it out into thin rounds. Then cut it diagonally from left and from right to get diamond shaped pieces. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the diamonds till it turns into golden colour. Transfer it to a paper towel and cool it.

For preparing sugar syrup, mix together sugar and water and boil it, till it reaches to a consistency that will help coat the fried diamond cuts. Add the crushed cardamom and coat the diamond cuts in syrup. Transfer it to a tray and cool it.

[Courtesy: Mishmash]

Vegetable Fried Rice

2010-09-26T17:39:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

For Rice:

Rice 2 cup
Lime juice 1 Tsp
Water 3 1/2 cup
Oil 2 Tbsp
Spring onion chopped
Mushroom 1/2 cup
Capsicum 1 small
Cabbage 1/4 cup
Carrot 1/4 cup
Celery chopped
Beans 1/4 cup
Ginger 1 Tbsp chopped
Garlic 1 Tbsp chopped
Soy sauce 1 Tbsp
Chilli sauce 1/2 Tbsp
Tomato sauce 1/2 Tbsp
Salt
Oil

To prepare rice, wash the rice and drain it for 10 to 15 mins. Add 1 tbsp of oil, salt and 1 tsp lime juice into 3 1/2 cup water and boil it well. Fry the rice in little ghee or oil in low flame. When it starts to crack, pour the boiling water into the rice. Cover it and cook well. When it becomes void of moisture content, remove the rice and keep it aside. Allow it to cool.

Heat oil in a kadai and add chopped ginger and garlic. When it turns light brown colour add beans, carrot and celery and saute well till its soft and crispy. Then add the sauces. Combine well and add celery, mushroom, capsicum and cabbage. Cook it in high flame for few minutes and add the cooked rice and spring onion. Mix well and remove it from fire.

Fish Molly

2010-09-18T18:03:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Fish 1/2 kg (Pearl spot or king fish)
Onion 2 big
Tomato 1
Green chilly 2 to 3
Garlic 5 to 7 pods
Ginger 1 big piece
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1/4 Tsp
Curry leaves
Cloves 2 to 4
Cardamom 2 to 3
Whole pepper few
Cinnamon 2 to 3 pieces
Thick coconut milk 1 cup
Semi thick cococnut milk 1 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Cashews few
Oil

Clean and cut the fish into med pieces. Marinate the fish pieces with pepper pdr and turmeric pdr for 15 to 20 min. Then shallow fry it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add sliced onion, ginger, garlic, salt, few cashews and curry leaves. Saute it for few min and add the crushed whole spices. Pour the semi thick coconut milk into this and boil. Then put the fried fish and cook it. Add the thick coconut milk and sliced tomato. Cook it for few minutes (do not boil) and remove it from fire.

Onion Chicken

2010-09-10T22:47:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 kg
Onion 2 big
Tomato 2 med
Dry chilly 2 to 3
Ginger paste 1/2 Tsp
Garlic paste 1/2 T
Coriander pdr 2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces. Grind together tomato and onion into a paste and keep it aside. Remove the seeds from the dry chilly and boil it in water for few mins and then grind it well. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the dry chilly paste and roast it well. Add the curry leaves, crushed ginger and garlic. Saute and pour the onion paste into this. Mix it for few min and add the coriander pdr, turmeric pdr, chilly pdr, garam masala pdr and salt. Reduce the heat and cook it till the raw smell goes. Add the chicken pieces and rqd amount of water. Cook it in med flame.

Vendakka Mezhukkupuratty

2010-08-30T23:49:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Okra (ladies finger) 1/4 kg
Onion 1 big
Garlic 7 pods
Chilly pdr 2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Coriander pdr 1/2 Tsp
Garam masala 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the okra (vendakka) into thin pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, sliced onion and garlic. Saute till it turns goldren brown and add okra. Stir it for few minutes and add the turmeric, chilly, coriander and garam masala pdr into it and combine well. Reduce the heat. Stir it occassionally till it turns dry and crispy. Finally add the rqd amount of salt. Remove it from fire.

Idiyappam

2010-08-23T23:19:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Rice flour 2 cup
Coconut 1/2 grated
Water as rqd
Salt as rqd

Mix together salt and rice flour. Boil water and pour little by little into the flour and mix immediately using a big spoon. Keep it aside for few minutes and mix it well. Put the dough into the idiyappam maker and press little on the idli steamer and put grated coconut on the top. Then press rest of the dough to the top of the coconut. Steam it well.

Peanut Chutney

2010-08-09T22:21:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Peanuts 1 cup
Garlic 2 pods
Onion 1 small
Dry chilly 2 to 3
Coconut 1/4 cup
Tamarind pulp 2 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Shallots few
Salt
Oil

Roast the peanuts in low flame for 5 mins. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion, garlic, dry chilly and curry leaves for few mins. Grind together roasted peanuts, coconut, onion, garlic, dry chilly, curry leaves, salt and tamarind paste using little water. Transfer it to a bowl and season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves and shallots.

[Recipe Courtesy: Kothiyavunnu.com]

Sponge Cake with Walnuts

2010-08-02T23:34:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Maida 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Butter 2 Tbsp
Baking pdr 1 Tsp
Hot milk 1/2 cup
Chopped walnuts 1/2 cup
Grated lemon rind 1 Tsp
Vanilla essence 1 Tsp
Honey 1 Tsp
Salt 1/4 Tsp
Egg 2

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Grease the baking pan with butter and maida and keep it aside. Sieve together maida, salt and baking pdr and keep it aside. Add butter to the milk and heat it. Beat egg until it thickens and slowly add the sugar. Beat it for another 5 min. Add the dry ingedients into it and mix well. Then add the hot milk, vanilla essence, honey and lemon rind and combine well. Finally add the chopped walnuts into the batter. Pour it into the greased pan and bake it for 35 to 40 mins.

[Recipe Courtesy: niyasworld.blogspot.com]

Spicy Chicken Fry

2010-07-20T10:03:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 1
Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
Fennel seeds 1 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Vinegar 1/2 Tsp
Bread crumbs
Maida 2 cups
Egg 2

Clean and cut the chicken into medium pieces. Beat the eggs and keep it aside. Ground together cumin seeds to vinegar and add salt to it. Marinate chicken with this paste and keep it aside. After half an hour, roll marinated chicken pieces in maida and then dip it in beaten egg and roll it in bread crumbs. Fry it well.

The Wonderful News

2010-07-16T22:05:00.000+05:30

My dearest friends.... By the grace of the Almighty, we had this wonderful baby girl, Nia, born to us on the 2nd of July, 2010. Everyone is doing good....!! Thanks for all your prayers....!!

Vazhachundu Cutlet

2010-06-28T22:11:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Vazhachundu (the flower or cone of plantain plants) 1
Grated coconut 2 Tbsp
Green chilly 3 to 5
Ginger 1 big piece
Garlic 5 to 7 pods
Curry leaves few
Potato 2 med
Onion 2 med
Shallots 2 to 3
Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
Garam masala 1 Tsp
Bread crumbs as rqd
Water as rqd
Maida 1 cup
Oil

Chop vazhachundu and mix it well with little coconut and keep it aside. Boil potato, allow it to cool and mash it. Chop onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, chilly and shallots. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped ingredients. Saute it and add salt, pepper pdr and garam masala. Add chopped vazhachundu into it and cook well. Make it dry. Allow it to cool and keep it aside. Then slowly add the mashed potato into the cooked vazhachundu and mix well. Make cutlets in desired shapes and keep it aside. Mix together maida and water and make a thick batter. Make bread crumbs from fresh bread slices. Then dip cutlets in maida batter and roll it in bread crumbs. Fry it.

Cauliflower Masala

2010-06-22T23:16:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Cauliflower 1
Tomato 1 big
Onion 1 big
Crushed ginger 1 Tsp
Crushed garlic 1 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 14 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1/2 Tsp
Meat masala 3 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the cauliflower into small pieces and soak it in hot water for 10 min. Drain out the water and marinate the cauliflower with salt, chilly pdr and turmeric pdr. Keep it for 15 min. Shallow fry it and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curryleaves, chopped onion, crushed ginger, garlic and salt. Saute till the onion becomes transluscent. Reduce the heat and add the meat masala and pepper pdr. Mix it well and add the chopped tomato into this. Add little water and cook well. Then add the shallow fried cauliflower and combine well. Add rqd amount of salt and water and cook it. Remove the lid and saute it for few mins till it becomes dry.

Semiya Payasam (Kheer)

2010-06-15T21:47:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Vermicelli 1 cup
Milk 3 to 3 1/2 cup
Milk maid 1/2 cup
Cashew 1/4 cup
Raisins 1/4 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Cardamom 3
Sugar as rqd
Ghee 2 Tbsp

Roast the vermicelli in ghee. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and keep it aside. Boil milk and water in a thick bottom vessel (Uruli). Add rqd amount of sugar and mix well. When it boils, slowly add the roasted vermicelli into the boiling milk and combine well. Reduce the heat and cook the vermicelli and add the crushed cardamom and milkmaid. Finally, add the fried cashews and raisins into the payasam (kheer). Remove it from fire.

Chocolate Banana Cake

2010-06-07T21:02:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Sugar 2 cup
Maida (All purpose flour) 1 3/4 cup
Cocoa pdr 3/4 cup
Baking pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Baking soda 1 1/2 Tsp
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Vanilla essence 1 1/2 Tsp
Mashed banana 1 cup
Warm water 1 cup
Veg oil 1/2 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Egg 2

Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F(180 deg C). Grease one 9 inch pan and keep it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, all purpose flour, cocoa pdr, baking pdr, baking soda and salt. Keep it aside. In another bowl whisk together egg, mashed banana, warm water, milk, veg oil and vanilla essence. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine well. Pour this batter into the prepared cake pan and bake it for 35 to 40 mins. Remove it from oven and cool it.

[Recipe Courtesy: JoyOfBaking.com]

Tomato Curry with Meat Masala

2010-05-31T21:42:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Chopped tomato 3 med
Sliced shallots 1/4 cup
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Meat masala 2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Dry chilly 2
Water
Salt
Oil

Chop the tomato well. Grind together coconut, turmeric pdr, chilly pdr and meat masala into a fine paste and keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and add curry leaves, sliced shallots and splitted dry chilly. Saute till it turns golden brown. Add chopped tomato, salt and little water into it and cook well. Then pour the grounded paste along with rqd amount of water and heat it in low flame. Mix well and remove it from fire.

[Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha]

Avalose Podi

2010-05-24T21:56:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Raw rice 1/4 kg
Cumin seeds 1 Tsp
Grated coconut 1
Salt little

Soak rice for few minutes and drain the excess water. Powder it well. Add grated coconut, salt and cumin seeds into rice flour and mix well using hand. Keep it aside for 30 mins. Heat cheenachatti (wok or kadai) or other thick bottom pan and roast the flour mix. Stir it continously till it turns golden colour. Remove it from fire and kept in an air tight container. Serve it with sugar.

Lemon Rice

2010-05-17T23:15:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Cooked basmathi rice 2 cup
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds 1 Tsp
Channa dal 1 Tbsp
Urad dal 1 Tsp
Peanuts 1 Tbsp
Dry red chilly 2
Green chilly 2
Chopped ginger 1 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Lemon juice 1 Tbsp
Hing a pinch
Salt
Oil

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter and add dry chilly, channa dal, urad dal and peanuts. Saute it in low flame till it turns golden colour. Then add turmeric pdr, hing, ginger and lemon juice. Add required amount of salt and cooked rice. Mix well and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Mangalore Fish Masala

2010-05-10T06:40:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Fish 1/2 kg
Sliced onion 2
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1/2 Tsp
Chilly pdr 3 Tsp
Salt
Oil

For Masala:

Grated coconut 1 1/2 cup
Tamarind small ball
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Sliced onion 1
Green chilly 1

Marinate fish pieces with salt, turmeric pdr and pepper pdr for 15 min. Shallow fry it and keep it aside. Saute one sliced onion and chilly and grind it with coconut, tamarind and pepper pdr. Heat oil in another kadai and saute the rest of the sliced onion till golden brown. Then add the chilly pdr and stir it well. Add the grounded mixture into it and stir it till it's void of the raw smell. Then put the fried fish and rqd amount of salt and cook it in low flame for 5 mins. Pour 3/4 cup of water into it and cook till the oil starts to separate.

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratty

2010-05-03T22:15:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Red gram 1 cup
Crushed dry chilly 3
Crushed garlic 10 to 12
Crushed shallots 8 to 10
Turmeric pdr 1/2 Tsp
Pepper pdr 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Water
Salt
Oil

Soak red gram for 2 to 3 hrs. Cook it with salt and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves, crushed garlic, shallots and salt. Saute till its turns light brown. Then add crushed dry chilly and turmeric pdr. Mix well and add cooked red gram. Add pepper pdr and mix well. Remove it from fire.

Chicken Hakka Noodles

2010-04-26T06:54:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

Hakka noodles 1 packet
Sliced capsicum 1 med
Sliced cabbage 1/2 cup
Sliced beans 1/2 cup
Spring onion 1/4 cup
Sliced carrot 1 big
Chicken 1/4 kg
Chopped ginger 1 Tsp
Chopped garlic 1 Tsp
Pepper pdr 2 Tsp
Tomato sauce 1 Tsp
Chilly sauce 1 Tsp
Soy sauce 2 Tsp
Vinegar 1 Tsp
Salt
Oil

Cook noodles with salt and little oil. Drain it and keep it under running water for a few secs. Pour little oil into it and combine well. Cook chicken with salt and pepper pdr. Cut it into thin pieces and keep it aside. Mix together tomato sauce, chilly sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped ginger and garlic. Saute it for few seconds and add the sliced capsicum, cabbage, beans and carrot. Cook it in high flame for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and pour the sauce mixture. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and chopped spring onion into it and combine well. Finally add the cooked noodles and mix well. Cook it for few more mins.

Hershey's Chocolate Cake... and a short break...!!

2010-04-15T00:00:00.001+05:30

This is especially for celebrating my darling hubby's birthday....!! All are welcome to join in....!!

...and, I would like to mention to all my blogger friends that I would be taking a break for the new arrival in my family which is due in July....!! I am really looking forward to it. However, I will be posting recipes regularly but may not be able to respond to your queries soon enough... hope you will all continue to support me, as you have always done, during this time as well....!!

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 1 3/4 cup
Cocoa pdr 3/4 cup
Baking pdr 1 1/2 Tsp
Baking soda 1 1/2 Tsp
Sugar 2 cup
Vegetable oil 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence 2 Tsp
Boiling water 1 cup
Milk 1 cup
Salt 1 Tsp
Egg 2

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C or 350 deg F. Grease two 9 inch pans and keep it aside. Combine the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Then add the wet ingredients except boiling water into it and beat for 2 mins in med speed. Stir in boiling water and combine well. Pour it into the greased pan and bake it for 30 to 35 mins. Transfer it onto the wire rack and cool it.

Chicken Vindaloo

2010-04-11T14:27:00.007+05:30

Ingredients:

Chicken 1/2 kg
Onion 1 big
Kashmiri chilly 8
Pepper 2 to 3
Clove 2 to 3
Star anise 2
Cinnamon 1 big piece
Cumin seeds 1/4 Tsp
Turmeric pdr 1/4 Tsp
Vinegar 2 to 3 Tbsp
Sliced onion 1 big
Chopped tomato 2 small
Ginger paste 1/2 Tsp
Garlic paste 1/2 Tsp
Sugar 1/2 Tsp
Water
Salt
Oil

Clean and cut the chicken into med pieces. Sauté one big onion in oil and keep it aside. Soak kashmiri chilly, pepper, cinnamon, clove, star anise, cumin seeds and turmeric pdr in vinegar and grind it well with sauted onion. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add the thinly sliced onion. Stir it for few mins and add the tomato, salt and grounded masala mix. Roast it well and add the chicken pieces and water. Cook it. When the chicken is half cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and combine well. When it is fully cooked, add sugar and little vinegar into this and mix well.

Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha Pachakam